The gene involved in causing schizophrenia in people in their adulthood is active as early as they are few weeks old, says researchers from Cardiff University published in the journal Science.

'Disrupted in schizophrenia-1' (DISC-1) is the gene that is involved in causing such mental conditions, say the researchers. The immense breakthrough if works is not only helpful in treating schizophrenia but also hopeful in conditions like depression and bipolar disorder, reported Mail Online.

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Kevin Fox, the lead researcher of the study and professor at Cardiff University in Britain said, "We believe that DISC-1 is schizophrenia's Rosetta Stone gene and could hold the master key to help us unlock our understanding of the role played by all risk genes involved in the disease." He also noted that "We have identified a critical period during brain development that directs us to test whether other schizophrenia risk genes affecting different regions of the brain create their malfunction during their own critical period," according to The Times of India.

Few studies in the past have shown that mutation in DISC-1 could cause mental conditions like schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. The present research was aimed at figuring out if interaction of DISC-1 gene with other proteins as early as the brain develops has a role to play in brain's ability to adapt to its structure and function in adulthood, according to Eurekalert.

Fox figured out that healthy development of the brain's synapses would happen only if the DISC-1 gene binds with two other molecules named as 'Lis and 'Nudel'. In order to test this fact the research team prevented the binding of DISC-1 with the two other molecules in mice with the help of Tamoxifen, a protein releasing drug. As expected the synapses of brain in the mice was interrupted. They lacked plasticity in brain when they reached their adulthood as a result developed difficulty in forming coherent thoughts and the ability to perceive the world.

"The challenge ahead lies in finding a way of treating people during this critical period or in finding ways of reversing the problem during adulthood by returning plasticity to the brain. This, we hope, could one day help to prevent the manifestation or recurrence of schizophrenia symptoms altogether," noted Fox.

Tagsschizophrenia, 'Disrupted in schizophrenia-1' (DISC-1), bipolar disorder, depression, coherent thoughts